Disabling-gas-producing chemicals



Patented May 23, 1939 n UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISABLING-GAS-PRODUCING CHEMICALS Duncan B. Williams, Glen Ridge, N. J., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation, a corporation of New York No Drawing. Application February 28, 1935,

Serial No. 8,580

8 Claims. (Cl. 167-47) This invention relates to disabllng-gas-producably a mobile liquid, that it can be easily manipuing chemicals, and more especially to chemicals lated and applied, for example, by atomizing it of the type commonly known as tear gas, and through a nozzle or other spray device. Of to methods of producing and distributing such course, the material should be as cheap as pos disabling gases. sible to, make it practicable from an economic 5 The disabling properties of chloracetophenone standpoint. vapors are well known. U. S. Patent No. It is the primary object of my invention to 1,750,101 discloses the use of chloracetophenone provide novel disabling-gas-producing chemicals and Other normally Solid tas-p dllc ng having all of the above-enumerated desirable 10 substances in solution in normally liquid disproperties to a substantial degree. Another ob- 10 abling-gas-producing substances. Similarly, the Ject of my invention is to provide novel methods disabling properties of crotonaldehyde vapors are of producing and distributing my novel disablingold in the art. U. S. Patent No. 1,378,488 disgas-producing chemicals.

C o es e use Of a d yd a d er n0 In accordance with this invention, novel disl 5 mally liquid disabling-gas-producing substances abling-gas-producing chemicals are prepared by as solvents for normally solid disabling-gas-prodissolving the halogenated acetophenones, such ducing substances. However, all of these subas chloracetophenone, bromacetophenone, iocloes r solutions have suffered in a greater acetophenone, and chlorbromacetophenone, in 01 less degree from one or more disadvantages, crotonaldehyde. These solutions are chemically such as excessive cost, insufficient effectiveness, stable, volatile, mobile liquids which vaporize 20 10W p y, da o Permanent toxic efreadily, and the vapors produce, even in low confeet. 10W t y, difilelllty o pulation, fire centrations. an irritating and strongly disabling hazard, instability, etc. Hence none of them lachrymatory effect. The vapors also cause irrihave been entirely satisfactory. tation of the nose and throat and are mild Chloreeetophenolle has be w dely sed y vesicants so that even the skin is irritated. Hence 25 Police p t ts as a tear gas. Since it is anyone exposed to these vapors is immediately normally a Crystalline Solid. a use Or ot er h at completely incapacitated. However, these effects, Source is necessary to sublimate it. However, in though severe, are merely temporary and there certain applications, chloracetophenone has been is no permanent toxic effect on human beings.

used dissolved in alcohol, and a fuse is then un- I have found that chloracetophenone is solu- 30 c s h Of t se app ca ons enta l O ble in both anhydrous and water-saturated cro- .ie on fire and explosion hazards, the first tonaldehyde to the extent of about 67% by weight from the lighted fuse, and the second from the at' 25 C. The solution is an ideal disablinginilammable alcohol vapors. gas-producing chemical, having all of the here- A suitable disabling-gas-producing chemical inbefore-discussed desirable properties. The 35 for use in n r l n m and pp ehen in lachrymatory and total disabling effect is greater criminals should have certain properties. The than either constituent alone, and tests indicate V pors should effectively decapacitate a person that the effect is considerably greater than that subjected th et t a s, t e V pors even in of the simple combined effects of the two con- 40 low concentrations should produce a relatively stituents alone, although there is no apparent Prolonged d Strong disabling effect. However, chemical interaction between the constituents. there should be no dangerous toxic effect other For the best results, the solution preferably than temporary disability. The vapors should be comprises 10% chloracetophenone and 90% cronon-infiammable at least'within the range of tonaldehyde by weight. This so.ution is amber effective concentrations so that fire and exploin color and has a specific gravity of 0.895 at 45 sion hazards are minimized. The chemical 20/20 C. and a density of 7.45 pounds per gallon should be stable even when standing for long at 20 C. There is a volume shrinkage in the Periods time so that there s no appreciable solution of approximately 9.4%; that is, the voldecomposition or decrease in strength. It should ume of the solution is about 9.4% less than the be highly volatile so that it vaporizes readily sum of the volumes of the separate constituents.

and p y a should p e y have high The solution is a mobile liquid having a high surface-wetting properties so that it quickly vapor pressure and good surface-wetting properspreads over any surface with which it comes ties so that it volatilizes readily and rapidly.

in contact and vaporizes the more readily. Also, Concentrations as low as 0.1% by weight in air the chemical should be in such a'fcrm, preferare absolutely unbearable. The lower limit of =1 in producing a demoralizing psychological eflect on the victims. To accomplish this, my novel disabling-gas producing chemicals may be used in conjunction with suitable smokeor visiblefume-producing chemicals, such, for example, as a tetrahalide of the elements of group 4 oi the periodic table. Silicon tetrachloride, titanium tetrachloride, and tin tetrachloride are especially desirable. The disabling-gas producer and the smoke producer are preferably simultaneously liberated at substantially the same point from separate containers.

My novel disabling-gas-producing chemicals may be distributed or projected by a number of methods. The Solution may be confined in a container or bomb and hurled by hand or otherwise to the point of application where it is liber ated in any well-known manner as by a fuse or the breaking of frangible containers. A device such as is disclosed in my Patent No. 2,068,235, issued July 16, 1935, is especially suitable. Also, the solution may be confined in a container under pressure and liberated through a nozzle in the form of a spray. This is preferable since itpromotes rapid distribution and vaporization. If the irritant gas is used in conjunction with a smokeproducing agent, the bomb may comprise two containers for separately confining the two substances, or the two substances may be separately contained under pressure and simultaneously liberated through spray nozzles at substantially the same point.

The following example will serve to illustrate one application of my novel disabling-gas-producing chemicals. Approximately one quart of a solutioncontaining chloracetophenone and 90% crotonaldehyde by weight was liberated in the open air out of doors through a spray nozzle from a tank under CO2 pressure. Titanium tetrachloride was simultaneously liberated through a nozzle from a separate tank under pres-' sure at substantially the same point. The air immediately became saturated with the irritating vapors and it was difficult to approach closer than 75 feet to the dispersing apparatus. Persons who attempted to approach the apparatus were immediateiy'completely decapacitated by virtue of excessive lachrymation. and irritation of the membranes of the nose and throat. The effects iasted to a decapacitating extent from to minutes. The titanium tetrachloride produced a dense and persistent white smoke which accurately indicated the course and extent of distribution of the disabling gas. The air remained vitiated with the irritant gas for some time although a strong wind was rapidly blowing the vapors away.

I claim:

1. A disablin -gas-producing chemical comprising a solution of a normally solid, irritantgas-producing halogenated acetophenone in crotonaldehyde. I

2. A disabling-gas-producing chemical comprising a normally solid, irritant-gas-producing bromacetophenone in solution in crotonaldehyde.

3. A disabling-gas-producing chemical comprising a solution. of chloraoetophenone in crotonaldehyde.

4. A disabling-'gas-producing chemical comprising a solution of up to 67% by weight of chloracetophenone in crotonaldehyde.

5. A disabling-gas-producing chemical comprising a solution of about 10% by weight of chloracetophenone in crotonaidehyde.

6. A disabling-gas-producing chemical com prising a normally solid, irritant-gas-producing chlorbromacetophenone dissolved in crotonaldehyde.

7. Method of producing a disabling gas which comprises liberating a solution of a normally solid, irritant-gas-producing halogenated acetophenone in crotonaldehyde.

8. Method of producing a disabling gas which comprises dissolving chleracetophenone in crotonaldehyde. and volatilizing the resulting solution.

DUNCAN B. WILLIAMS. 

